Applications of halloysite in tissue engineering

Abstract Halloysite is an aluminosilicate mineral, with characteristic tubular morphology, that has been widely used in several pharmaceutical applications. This review study is focusing on the applications of the mineral in the field of tissue engineering, aiming in the explanation of halloysite’s use superiority. The topics that are highlighted in the present study are the bone tissue and implants engineering, dental fillings, tissue scaffolds and wound healing applications of halloysite-based nanocomposites. Halloysite is mainly used as a booster, improving the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites, the corrosion resistance and the anti-bacterial activity of the particles. Its efficient combination with a variety of substances as well as its special characteristics such as the unique tubular morphology, arrangement of different charges, large aspect ratio, low cytotoxicity, high availability, and low cost, make halloysite a promising potential candidate for the above medical applications. Due to the natural origin of halloysite mineral, it can substitute other synthetic materials that are now used in tissue engineering, reducing the manufacturing-costs. Possible future research directions are highlighted in the present study.